


Quiet of the Stars

by Silverwoulf



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Armitage Hux Has Issues, But also the Force, Confused Ren, Force-Sensitive Hux, Hux can't take care of himself, Hux is So Done, Hux is angry and out for revenge, Hux-centric, Injured Hux, M/M, Merciless Hux, Minor Character Death, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-TLJ, Ren has no clue, Ren has some apologising to do, Slow Burn, Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, powerful Hux
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-14
Updated: 2019-01-31
Packaged: 2019-06-27 10:05:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15683223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silverwoulf/pseuds/Silverwoulf
Summary: After Snoke is dead, Luke Skywalker has beaten his nephew but gave his life for it and the Resistance has escaped Hux tries to keep the Order going. Taking a moment to sort his mind he realises that he has the Force. Pleased by this development he plans to use his new powers to rise further and bring everything into his control. He just plans to play the long game because were is the fun in just taking what he wants if he can play with everyone instead.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea where this is going! Bear with me in this.
> 
> Have always loved the idea of Force-sensitive Hux and after TLJ and Domhnall's comments about him being ready to bite back I feel like the General would be merciless. 
> 
> So going from there we are here.
> 
> Also, looking at my Fbawtft WIP, if I say Slow Burn I mean SLOOOOOOWS Burn, just so you are warned.

Standing straight was hard, marching in front of his soldiers even more so. His back lit up in a blaze of piercing fire with every step, his shoulder throbbed and breathing was hard but no matter how much damage Ren had inflicted on him it was nothing he hadn’t experienced before. His classmates at the academy had done worse and Brendol Hux, that vile creature he had to call his father, had done far worse. A broken rib or two, a displaced disk and some bruises were nothing to him.   
Still he would have preferred to return to his ship or even what was left of the Supremacy to take an hour of rest but it seemed that Ren, their new Supreme Leader, wanted him at his side. If Ren thought that he would kill him by ordering the fleet to fire on him and the Rebels he was wrong. He would want to see the moment Ren realised that he was about to die, he wanted to be the one to snuff out the light in his eyes. Retaliation for years of being pushed around, for having the position he rightfully should have gotten taken away from him and for being abused when all he had ever done was work for the better of the Order.   
Shaking these thoughts from his mind he watched Ren kneeling on the ground. The man looked lost, eyes focused beyond what was visible, possible at something within the Force. It would have been easy, too easy, to kill him in this moment but he would have been next. High Command had veered for his death for far too long that they wouldn’t use this against him. The timing for his rise to power would need to be perfect if he ever wanted to keep it. 

Looking away from the man Hux closed his eyes. Ever since he had stepped into the throne room something had felt off. It was as if there was something just beyond his reach but as he did not know what it was he was unable to get to it. The more time went by the stronger this feeling became. It was plausible that it was the loss of Snoke even he felt but such a thing was for Force users. Ren had often made fun of his complete lack of a connection to the Force, had called him a Force-null. Maybe Snoke had altered something within him, it was frightening to think so but not unlike the being to manipulate even the most loyal.   
Collecting himself he concentrated on his uneven breathing, on the sting every time he breathed in too deeply, on the throbbing pain throughout his body. Pain was easy to focus on and it calmed him, made things clearer, easier to progress things. Hux knew that it was a technique the Sith used to harness and sharpen their powers but why shouldn’t it be useful to someone like him, also? 

_We are doomed._

Blinking he focused on his surroundings again. That thought had not been his own. Only through the Force thoughts could be transmitted and there was only one Force user of it around. If that had been Ren’s thought he might need to rethink his idea of waiting to take control of the First Order. Looking back at Ren though still had the man looking as far away as before. It couldn’t have been him then.   
That only left his troopers and if that was the case they either had a sensitive on their hand or somehow Hux had managed to hear it. Unreceptive as he was of the Force that only left one of his troopers. He needed to find out which one so he could get into the troopers good graced to ensure that they were loyal to him, and only him even if they might need Ren to teach them how to control the Force. 

No matter what, he needed to get things done. They needed something from this failure to keep morale up. Troopers were spread throughout the mine looking for scraps that might be useful but it wasn’t scraps that would help them.   
“Are there any communication devices left?” Hux asked.  
There was a moment during which the troopers looked more closely on what is left around them.  
“Yes sir!”  
Stepping closer to the trooper Hux looked at the console. Victory flared through him as he saw it still operational and active. The red flares on the old display clearly indicating where the Resistance request for assistance had been received. None of them had answered a clear show off how little the universe thought of what was left of the Rebels.   
Still there had been a flashy defeat of their new Supreme Leader at the hands of none other than Luke Skywalker. Such news would spread throughout the galaxy and the spark of hope could become a kindling fire again. They had to squash this spark before it took.  
“Note down the names and locations of these systems. None of them have answered but the Resistance still has a hold there. Bring anything that contains data with us.”  
He strained to hold the glee in. Where he once had thought that all doors to his rule and command had closed upon the destruction of Starkiller Base, he held the end of the Resistance and with it the end of the Republic in his grasp.

Watching the troopers heed his orders without a second thought felt good. Of course he was the highest functioning commander on ground but still none of them had so much as glanced at their Supreme Leader to confirm that order. They moved about packing up what they could use.   
No matter where the Resistance now went they had the location of all their old allies and they would make sure that they had an eye on all of them. They would need to keep it under wraps, make sure that nobody knew of their presence, because even if they were friendly to the Order now, there always were Resistance sympathisers.   
It was also a good opportunity to reinforce their political reach in the galaxy. With the near completion, later destruction of Starkiller Base they had neglected their contacts and allies, something that they would feel in the coming months. They might already have lost important finances.

Rolling his shoulders back he focused on the here and now again. It was no use to fret over things he could not yet change. One step at a time and in this moment he needed to overview the extraction of information from the mines and the reconstruction of their fleet. That blasted Resistance Admiral had not only split the Supremacy in half but had also destroyed a good portion of their Star Destroyers. It would be smart to bring the Supremacy to the ground and deconstruct her. As much as it pained him to even consider this rebuilding such a large ship was beyond them at the given time and it was more important to keep the numbers of their Star Destroyers up.   
This though, he would need to bring before Ren. As much as he knew their new Supreme Leader to be unfit for leadership he was required to get his permission. High Command would never accept his decision otherwise, even if they agreed with his decision; they hated him.

Walking back towards the exit he paused at the door that Ren had walked through. The man was still there, bowed, staring at the ground or beyond it Hux did not know. It would be so easy to rid himself of the menace but he would be next after that and he rather cherished his life, horrid as it was at the given moment. What to do, what to do?  
He could inform him of their looming departure or… Grinning Hux walked on not giving the Force user a second glance. 

Boarding the command shuttle was always a conflicting thing for him. He may not have designed the ship like he had Ren’s TIE Silencer but he had advanced it beyond what Sienar-Jeamus ever would have envisioned. It had wounded him to see it and the Silencer go to Ren in the end but had, as always, swallowed his misery down and accepted his fate.   
Settling down in the command seat he overviewed the troops being fully aware that Peavey was hovering behind him. The old man had no spine but thought himself better than Hux. He, like so many others of his age, thought he deserved the position that Hux held far more.   
“We will wait for the Supreme Leader after boarding is complete. Captain Peavey if you would put me through to Captain Yago.”

He could practically feel Yago’s mental flailing as he saw him sitting in the command seat. Letting the man think, for a moment, that Hux had claimed the rank of Supreme Leader he settled himself further into the chair.   
“Captain, I need you to prepare the Supremacy to be cleared of any personnel that is not needed to maintain it until the Supreme Leader has told us what to do about her.”  
There was a moment before he saluted and the holo blinked out again. 

Grinding his teeth Hux knew that he would need to rebuild his station within the ranks of the First Order. The humiliation at the hands of Snoke had damaged his standing and with Ren claiming leadership it would be only harder for him to keep face. Everyone knew that they hated each other and chances were that High Command would try to do everything in their power to play them against one another. Not that he would fall for this but Ren was easy to manipulate and easier to rile up.   
Considering what had happened in the throne room he was well aware that it might be a death sentence to get on Ren’s bad site at this moment in time. As much as he hated it he would have to play nice with their new Supreme Leader for now. 

“How do you plan to distribute everyone from the Supremacy? We nearly lost half our fleet and a lot of the other ships are out of reach?”  
Biting the inside of his cheek Hux did everything to keep himself from reacting unfavourably towards Peavey. The man knew what he was doing and he would be damned if he played into his hands.   
“Easy, Captain Peavey!” making sure to stress his title, “All ships are far from the personnel capacity and there should be no problem to house a few more members of the Order until we have found a permanent solution. Resources aren’t a problem either, we are close to Order friendly systems and can restock has been lost.” 

_Bastard!_

Frowning Hux was sure that Peavey hadn’t uttered a word afterwards but he had clearly heard his voice. He was overworked, tired, bruised and stressed; chances were good that he was starting to hallucinate. It wouldn’t be the first time but an unwelcome recurrence considering what need to be done in the near future.   
Concentrating on the view through the view port he watched a lone dark figure disappear underneath the ship to board it. So Ren had finally decided to rejoin them. Judging the man’s gait it Hux would be well served to get out of the seat and make himself as invisible as possible but just as he was about to get up his back flared up again.   
Groaning he sank back down. Head bowed down he tried to even his breathing and push the pain back but it seemed to make it only worse as the deep breaths pressed against his bruised rips.  
He felt Ren’s presence before the man stepped into the command centre of the shuttle. The rage was palpable and it was instantly all directed at him. It felt like a dark, cold blanked that burned him as it settled over him making it even harder to breath. How had he never felt the extent of Ren’s emotions until now? Had they never been focused on him like this before? 

“General!”

_Why is he always there?_

Trying as he might Hux could not bring himself to sit upright or even stand up. His vision was blackening and then he felt it. The same ghost hands around his throat as in the throne room. Fear sprang to the forefront of his mind. He could not let the crew see him being hurt and humiliated further by Ren.   
Focusing whatever little energy he had left he tried to mentally shove the hands off. For a second nothing happened but then he felt the grip lessen until they were gone completely. Drawing a steading breath he forced himself up onto his feat. His vision swam but he held himself upright by sheer will. He would not be bowed again, not ever, especially not by the likes of Ren.

“Supreme Leader.”  
His voice was rough, cracking at the end. He hated how weak he was in regards to these damnable Force Users. They could shove and push people like him around all they wanted and nobody had anything to fight them off. Only other Force Users such as the Scavenger could fight back.   
As if! He had orchestrated more deaths throughout his life than many others, his own father amongst them. No Force User was strong and good enough to keep him at bay for long. If they stood in his way he would get rid of them eventually. The only thing it might take is more time.  
“We are ready for takeoff. Considering the destruction done to the Supremacy we will return to the Finalizer. From there it would be wise to talk about what should be done with the state of our fleet and the Order.”

_How? How did he do that?_

“Supreme Leader?”  
Ren blinked his big, brown eyes at him. They were so unfitting a man of such rage and anger but yet Ren was a man of seemingly unfitting features that still somehow worked.   
“Fine.”  
He pushed past Hux physically shoving him out of the way and sat down heavily. 

Hux could barely keep himself from being ploughed over. He felt one of his ribs give under the push and his shoulder shifted uncomfortably. Drawing a deep breath wasn’t an option so he bore it. 

“Well?”  
It was Hux’ time to stare at the other in confusion.   
“Apologies Supreme Leader, what was it that you wanted?”  
“I wanted a report, General.”  
Hux launched into retelling of what little they had found and that he had ordered the clearing of the Supremacy.   
“It would be wise to decide what to do with the damaged ships soon”, he added, “We need to secure funds and support and there is also the matter of Snoke’s death. It needs addressing.” 

They looked at one another; both regarding the other.   
Hux could see that Ren was holding himself in check, there were minor tremors along his limbs that spoke of the man’s need to move, act, destroy. He was paler than usual, his hair hanging limp in his face, clothing caked in a crust of salt. What had happened from the destruction of Starkiller Base till this moment had taken a toll on them all, even Ren.   
At the same time he knew what he himself looked like. Skin pallid, dark bruises under bloodshot eyes, body held tense even through the pain that furrowed his brows. His clothing was still pristine but his boots were as dirty as everybody else’s.   
Something in Ren’s eyes changed when his eyes settled on his chest. Hux’ breathing was visibly restrained due to bruised and now broken ribs. It looked like concern if not regret. 

_How is he still standing? I can feel his pain and I have never felt anything from him._

“Very well, we will return to the Finalizer and regroup.”  
With that matter out of the way they left the planet.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This came about faster than expected. So have at it.

After ordering the evacuation of the Supremacy, relegating personnel to every other available ship, ordering a full report of what has been destroyed beyond repair and what can still be saved and reading through it, making contact and appointments with allies, and placing an address to all members of the First Order Hux was barely standing on his own feet.  
His vision was swimming and he could not feel the pain anymore as it had spread throughout his whole body. He did not know how he had been able to pull himself up and address the Order to make it clear that while the core members of the Resistance had escaped Luke Skywalker had perished and they were only a few on the run now. It was damage control nothing else but it was needed.  
They still needed to announce the shift in leadership but that was something Ren had to figure out along with High Command. 

The evacuation was under way and all ships were ready to accept every additional member. It wasn’t that much of a burden for them but the ships commanders still had grumbled. Many of their allies had readily accepted the timetables for meetings, with some they would need to renegotiate, and others would need a strong reminder why they were allied to the First Order in the first place. There was a lot of work to be done till the loss they had experienced today was compensated.  
It should not have been his duty to do all of that on his own but Ren had walked off the second they had touched down shouting that he was not to be disturbed. That had been hours ago. 

Hux had lost track of time, standing at the star chart looking at all the planets that had a connection to the Resistance. There were many of them, old allies most of them of the time before the New Republic. None of them had answered but they were their biggest chance of finding what was left of the Resistance.  
He could see a route that they could take which would take them from old ally to old ally until they found someone that was willing to help them or to spread the word of them throughout the galaxy. Neither was good for the First Order and they should act fast but with resources stretched thin due to the destruction laid upon them at the hands of Admiral Holdo it would cripple them further. Noting his thoughts down he ordered spies and scouts near it to be on the lookout. 

Standing in the blue light he slowed his thoughts down. It had always been easy for him to clear his head while looking at the stars either the real ones or artificial ones. They were far, far away even though they could reach and visit them all it made him feel small and inconsequential. In times of high stress feeling unimportant was a relive to his overburdened mind.  
He felt the bussing of thousands of minds all over the ship some were stronger than others, bright lights in a mass of grey shimmers. Amongst them all was one so bright that its light felt blinding. Hux moved his mind closer to that light. In all his time spreading his mind out like this, imagining touching upon his subordinates, he had never seen this light. It was strong not only in its brightness but also cold. None of the others had felt cold just dull. Coming to a standstill before it he watches, fascinated. 

_How? How is he able to do all this? I choked him, I threw him away and yet he still stands there and controls the Order. He should be begging at my feet, grovelling not to be killed off by me and yet he has thrown off my Force grip. What has happened to me?_

Ren! The bright, cold light was Ren!  
Hux had always believed this wandering to be a creation of his imagination to calm himself, to make himself feel part of his crew while he rules over them all, but this meant that it was real. He was spreading his mind throughout the Finalizer looking at his crew’s minds. 

Drawing himself out of his reverie he stumbles towards the closest chair. Breathing heaving at the sudden realisation he stares at the ground. There was only one logical conclusion to all of this but it was impossible.  
He had heard of the way that Jedi could spread their minds out while meditating while they immersed themselves in the Force. Ren had raged on about it; how Hux would never understand what it was like to look upon the weak minds of others. Snoke had commented on his ability to kill everyone around him by snuffing out the light within them. Both of them so convinced that Hux did not understand, would never see what they could see or do what they could do. All this time he had scoffed at their rambling about the Force, thinking them mad because nothing could make someone this powerful.  
Yet here he was using the Force just like they had. Brushing his hands over his face and into his hair Hux bowed his head forward. It did put pressure on his ribs and stretched his shoulders and back but he still did not feel pain.  
All this time that he had laughed at Force Users and now he realised that his meditative imagined walk amongst his crew was real. This also meant that the things he had been hearing all day had been thoughts. Ren once had said that some people were loud and now he understood. He had heard Peavey, that Trooper and Ren. The Knight was so loud. Chances were that he wasn’t used to thinking quietly because there never had been anyone that could read his thoughts but Snoke and the being had been his master anyway. 

Nothing has happened to Ren, I have changed. This thought brought a grin to his face. Ren had no clue, did not even consider the possibility that Hux was a Force User. It meant he had a secret that would give him the upper hand in coming conflicts if he learned how to actively use what now was his.  
There was no question as to how he had obtained the usage of the Force. For one he had always had it but had never been able to use it like this and what made it possible now was Snoke’s death. The late Supreme Leader must have blocked his abilities somehow. Likely the being hadn’t even known what he had done as no one had been privy, not even Hux himself, that he was Force sensitive.  
He would need to read up on the Force, close the gigantic holes in his knowledge. Scoffing at it and nearly denying its existence was a troublesome problem now. Fortunately he was a fast learner and had the Order’s recourses at his command. Learning from someone more experienced would be favourable but he would rather drop dead than ask Ren for help. 

Standing back up, breathing in and focusing of the power within himself he drew on it. It was there, warm, pulsing, demanding to be finally used. He drew on it to bring himself upright, back straight as ever, and to march with strong steps over the floors of his ship. Nodding to every person he passed he could not keep the pleased grin hidden when he felt their bewilderment at his put together and strong appearance.  
What Ren had done had spread like wildfire and over the course of the last hours he had felt them watching for any sign of weakness. The one thing Brendol Hux truly had beaten out of him. Higher ranking members were most oblivious in their confusion and it pleased Hux like nothing else to prove them wrong. He would not be bowed by anyone, least of all the man child leading them. 

“Captain Peavey!”  
Everyone present stopped what they were doing to stare at Hux. 

_General?_  
Stars what has he done to be standing like that?  
He’s going to kill himself!  
That bastard!

That last thought belonged to Peavey. It was pleasant that his crew was worried about his wellbeing but there was something exhilarating about making men like Peavey hate him even more. They were weak, old men that thought age gave them the right to do as they please but it wasn’t like that in the Order. Ability and skill put you into a position of power, not nepotism and age.  
“Has there been any word from our Supreme Leader?”  
There was a long pause in which Hux turned from the captain towards Unamo.  
“No, sir. The Supreme Leader has not come out of his quarters. Should I send a request for him?”  
“No need Unamo, he asked not to be disturbed. We should respect his wishes.”  
He walked towards the front passing by the still dumbfound and angry Captain.  
“I presume that evacuations have been completed? Good. Considering that the Supreme Leader is unviable right now we will go ahead and have the crews left make full damage reports. We will need to rebuild fast and those ships beyond repair can be used for material.”  
There was a flutter of noise behind him as they sprung to do as bidden. Everyone completely ignored that he was taking command from Peavey even though the man was on his command shift. It had always been like that and Hux was glad that nothing had changed. Peavey on the other hand was seething by now.

_That bastard has to die sooner than later._

Turning slowly Hux was tempted to throw his new powers at the old man but he wanted to keep them a secret for as long as possible. Instead he levelled his most chilled look at him, making it clear that he was very well aware what was going through his head. It was nothing new, but it could lead to more problems along the way.  
Surveying his crew heeding his command Hux stretched his mind out again. He wanted to know where Ren was. For one it was good to have a feeling for his location but there was also something fascinating about the mass of light the man emitted. It would also be a good idea to investigate those others that shone brighter. He had never considered them to be special. 

Within the bridge the minds shone clearly, Unamo and Opan brighter than most others, Peavey, much to Hux’ delight was one of the dullest lights. Clearer proof that the man had no right to demand the rank of General. Beyond that he found that the dullest lights belonged to most of the Troopers, those that had climbed rank amongst them brighter, brighter even than some of the Officers. This of course was no surprise as there never had been any testing before children were shoved into the Stormtrooper program and neither were there any tests in place to examine the worth of those trained as Officers.  
In his quarters was Ren, bright as before. Settling close by Hux looked closer at what he could see of the man’s mind. Well, considering how little he thought about the consequences of his actions the brightness couldn’t speak about the brilliance of his mind. Maybe it was a combination of his mind and the Force. There was no denying that Ren was powerful with the Force but that was the only thing he truly was useful for. 

Brushing closer Hux imagined himself not as a light but in a physical form. He moved his hand towards Ren’s mind. The light was still cold and bright but looking closer at it he could see that there were dark swirls through it. These must be the Dark Side which also meant that there was a lot of the Light Side within Ren. Scoffing Hux thought about all the times that Ren had claimed to have turned his back onto the Light. Seeing him like this, and yet, everyone was a white or grey light here. Frowning Hux realised that he didn’t know enough to pass judgement. He would need to read up, find texts that talked about what he was experiencing. 

_Hux?_

Shocked Hux retreated a few steps unwilling to complete leave and instead see what would unfold. He hovered close by and it felt as if he was a small boy again looking around the corner to see what his father was doing. It was a dangerous thing he was doing considering he did not want to be discovered. Still there was a pull in him to stay and see what would happen.  
Ren’s light was slowly rotating, dark tendrils reaching out from its core but they never even came close to touching Hux. The General wondered if maybe this light gazing he was doing was something that not every Force User could do. Taking a moment to consider what he knew of Ren it came to him that it was also possible that Ren simply had no idea how to do it because he had never learned patience. Even if he and Snoke had talked about seeing other lifeforms and being able to snuff them out without touching them Ren’s clueless scanning of his surrounding spoke of a different form of sensing. 

_No, it can’t be him. I would know if he was a sensitive. Snoke would have never let him live if he was. It just felt like him._

Relieved that the other still doubted him and his possible Force capabilities Hux retreated completely. Ren was still clueless and he should not risk his discovery and further. There were other more important things to do than mind walk through his ship. 

Coming back to himself Hux overviewed the bridge. The Finalizer ran itself by now. He had placed his crew were they were most effective and everyone on her knew what was expected of them by their General. It wasn’t fear that kept them working so hard, at least not for most of them, but a desire to prove that they were worthy of his trust in them. Looking around gave him the confidence boost he needed after the last few days of being thrown about like a ragdoll. This crew was his and so was the First Order.  
Ren might be a hindrance but if Hux played his cards right he could bring the man to heel. He was a master manipulator and now he had the Force on his side. If his silver tongue and sharp mind could not sway people into seeing his reason the Force could do the rest, he just had to learn how to do it. Going to Ren of course would be the faster solution but showing his cards like that, asking the man for help, and putting him in a position of power over him was not something that Hux desired. No, he would have to bide his time and learn on his own. 

Taking his leave soon after he made his way towards his quarters. No matter how good he felt at this moment in time he knew that he would come to regret it if he didn’t take a moment to rest. Sitting down while reading a few reports should suffice and if not a stim would alleviate what trouble his body.  
Half way there he felt drained beyond anything he had ever known. His heart rate was up, sweat was building up on his skin and his body started to ache. Drawing in a shaking breath Hux curled a shaky hand against his chest. Looking up he could make out the corner that would lead him straight towards his quarters. There was no way he would make it that far and yet he was unwilling to ask for help. Pushing himself to stand upright he forced himself to walk further. His vision was starting to swim and his legs felt like they were giving out any moment.  
Somehow he had made it towards his quarters. Breathing at that point was torture and he was fairly sure that he tasted blood in his mouth. Lifting his hand towards the keypad in front of his door he managed to lay it on it. Once the door opened he managed to take two steps into his quarters before he passed out.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before:  
> The battle of Crait is over. In pain and struggling to stay standing Hux still does what ever he can to keep up appearance. With the help of the Force, which he has newly acquired, he keeps going, fights Ren of, and passes out in his quarters in the end. 
> 
> ______________
> 
> Thank you all for reading so far. I know it's not much and not great but it is. 
> 
> I have rewritten the whole chapter because I disliked the old chapter three. Sorry for all those that had read it.

_Bluegreen grass swayed in the slight breeze as rare light clouds glided over an even rarer blue sky. It was a rare rainless day on Arkanis, one of maybe ten a year. His feet sank into the muddy ground but not far enough to stick. With sure but slow steps he walked on, eyes fixed onto the old mansion upon a small hill. It was one of the few surviving the struggles that Arkanis had gone through, even if it was marked by them. If not by that, then by the constant rain that Arkanis was known for. White stone walls had turned grey over time, like so much on the wet planet.  
At some point in the past the people of Arkanis had stopped to fight the discolouration of their buildings and instead had started to embrace it. While their world was drowned in greys and blues, from the sky above, to the seas around, and the houses they had built, they brought colour to their lives by the clothes they wore. As such bright coloured hair was something valuable. The red hair that so many sported now had once been sparse but now was just as common as the rain. _

_The mansion was filled with people that chatted, drank, and ate to their hearts content. Members of the Empire brought together in celebration. Of what they most likely had forgotten themselves at that point but it was of little concern. There had been some and that was enough to get drunk for the rest of the day. To some it was the only way to cope, to others the best to spy on others. They always tried to outdo one another in some way; a game those with too much time and money could play without consequence._

_One of these men was Commandant Brendol Hux: a man of high standing and respect. He had worked for it but had also gained it through the fortune of his line. The Hux’ were a proud family for all that they had achieved and would continue to in the future._  
_At this point in time however Brendol Hux was just as drunk as his friends and associates. After a day spend with too much Ale and expensive Brandy he and others had stopped pretending and had openly leered at the maids. Nobody would say anything about it to them anyway but it was frowned upon nonetheless. Spurred on by too much drink and the others cheering Brendol had gone after one of the kitchen aids.  
Isanna was a beautiful, slender woman. Her hair a rather boring brown to Brendol’s fiery red but her skin was pale and her eyes a vibrant green. He had cornered her, promised her a better life, and had his way with her. Through it all she had barely uttered a sound. It mattered little to the Commandant; he was drunk and had a pretty thing for the night. In the end he had what he had desired for a long while now and his wife would be none the wiser. _

_It was there in that corner that he found her. Hair in disarray, skirt crooked and tears staining her face._  
_“You are so beautiful Armitage. Look how tall you have grown,” she said._  
_Her green eyes found his and Hux felt as if the world dissolved and at the same time was put right around him. They were so much alike, she and him, his mother and he. The same pale skin, the same green eyes, the same sharp, high cheekbones; it was little wonder to him now why Maratelle had hated him so much. He was his mother’s spitting image._  
_“Mother.”_  
_“Oh dear boy, it is so good to see you. I wish you would have found a better time.”_  
_She pulled him into a tight hug. At first Hux stood stiff but with a gentle pat on his back he fell into it. In all his years he could not remember a time that he had been held so tenderly. He was sure that he had known such comfort as a child, before he had been taken from Arkanis, but he could not recall it._  
_“You need to eat more, look how thin you are.”_  
_“I can’t seem to bring myself to eat much. There is little time in my day and I do forget it.”_  
_“That is no excuse! Oh, I wish you could tell me more of your life but you mustn’t.”_  
_Confusion pulled at his brows. This was nothing but a dream why shouldn’t he tell his mother what became of him. Even if she wasn’t real, it would be a novel idea._  
_“This is real, my boy. The Force has brought us together. You have been stumbling through the dark for so long; I think the Force wanted me to tell you where it all came from.”_  
_“From you,” he whispered in answer._

_A gentle smile graced her lips. Grasping his hand she led him through the mansion into the kitchens. They were deserted by now. All food had been eaten and the last few guests had settled down for their last glass of drink. There she sat him down. Her slender hands brushed his shoulders and held his cheeks._  
_“Our family has always had the Force. It had never been strong enough for anyone to care much about us and there never had been a Force User known to Jedi or Sith from Arkanis. While there had been some here at the Academy under Chancellor Palpatine we have never been found out. I am happy that you have also inherited this from me. It is such a helpful power to have and you are strong.”_  
_It was a relief to know that he had a past beyond Brendol Hux. He truly only carried the man’s legacy on in name; everything else that made him who he was seemed to be his mother’s bloodline. The gratification that came with that knowledge was strong._  
_“Let the Force guide you. Don’t fight it.”_  
_“How am I supposed to use it? There are still few left, and none that could teach me without dire consequences.”_  
_“What does your heart tell you?”_

_Hux glanced down at their interlinked hands. What did his heart tell him? He had never listened to it much. The few times it had ended with him being beaten or thrown about. Fighting against Snoke’s decision to destroy all those planets with Starkiller Base was the last time he had tried to listen and act after his heart. In truth it had always led him astray. It was why he had stopped listening and had only depended on his mind from then on._  
_Deep down he knew that he would not get far on his own but giving this to Ren would be his downfall. There had to be another source of knowledge. The Jedi were all gone now, no matter how much that scavenger girl pretended to be one, successful as she may be at it. Even if they were still around, Hux would not be able to go to them. He was dedicated to the First Order; he stood by the destruction of Hosnian Prime, and the many lives his ascent to power had cost._  
_“I need a teacher but there are none that could teach me.”_  
_“None that are alive. Let the Force show you the way and if you trust in it, you will find your teacher.”_  
_“How do I let the Force guide me?”_  
_“That, you have to find out yourself,” she said with finality, “for now, you have to return to your time. I hope we see each other again, my boy. Trust yourself, and may the Force be with you.”_

  
  


It was with a gasp that Hux awoke. He was still on the floor of his quarters. His body ached and burned with pain. Even with all that he could feel the warmth of his mother’s hands and the ghost of her hug. It was something he was sure he would carry with himself till his end, and also something he did not know he had needed or even wanted.  
With much struggle he brought himself to his feet. His head was still swimming but he pushed on. Shaking, from exhaustion, pain and the cold, he sat down on his bed. He wanted to take a shower but he did not have the strength for it. Only rest on his mind he pulled his tunic off. It was a struggle as his shoulder and side felt stiff.  
Angry at his own body for its weakness he let himself fall back ignoring the pain that flared at the sudden movement. Groaning Hux pulled a small silver droid from his tunic’s inner pocket. It was a construction of his own design and the only medical droid he trusted. Tapping its centre it unfolded and immediately started its examination. Sighing he let the droid do its work and stared at the ceiling of his quarters. 

  
  


_“A teacher you seek, to show you the ways of the Force. Yet willing, you are not to listen.”_

  
  


He woke again with a start. It had been another vision through the Force. This one hadn’t shown him a way though it had only been a voice laughing at him. His mother had said to listen and let the Force guide him but how could he trust someone that spoke in such a manner and laughed at him instead of explaining.  
The droid hovered before him and Hux watched as it showed him the results of its examination. He did not expect good news, his body was too bruised and the damage he had taken over the last weeks had taken its toll. There was also his continued disability to eat enough to be considered healthy. All of it together surely made for a sad picture. For this reason he had made sure that M8CAL could not be accessed from anyone but himself. Only his thumbprint and presence would activate it and only his retina scan started the report.  
It was a sad story that unfolded before his eyes. Ribs bruised, shoulder cracked, wrist and hip sprained, a disk dislocated and severely malnourished, sleep deprived and stressed. The bruises would heal with the help of bakta, the cracked shoulder and dislocated disk needed more attention however. Everything else he would ignore as he always had. He could not bring himself to eat and he had no time to sleep or rest.  
An order to the droid later he smeared the bakta over which ever part he could reach. It did the rest for him while he contemplated calling the Chief Medical to his quarters. He did not dislike her but the way she treated him. She always behaved as if he was a hapless child. Yet, she was the only one he trusted to keep his state of being to herself. The others would tattle to their friends eventually, spreading the truth as a rumour through the ship. M8CAL beeped at him and with a sigh he conceded the request to call for help. 

Hux pulled off his boots, shirt and trousers. There was little else he could do than to get comfortable while he waited. Sadly he had placed himself too far away from his datapad to reach it without moving around. He had sometimes in the past pretended to use the Force to call things to himself. They never had even shifted. Nobody would know however if he tried again.  
He stretched his hand towards the datapad and willed it to fly towards him. It would not do so of that he was sure. Much to his surprise it did shifted and rattled on the nightstand. Thrilled by the unexpected change he focused more. It slammed into his hand with a jolt that he had not expected. There was no finesse to his use of the Force but he could use it and he was certain that with time and practice he would be able to use it to do even the smallest and most extraordinary things.  
Powering it on, he rescheduled his next shift. It would be the first time as a general to take a day to himself and rest but he preferred it to being ordered to do so by the Chief Medical. Her order would be visible to everyone with a high enough rank. Questions would follow this and High Command would use it against him somehow. 

He was tired. Tired of the pain and suffering that seemed to follow his every step; tired of the fighting, between High Command and him, between Ren and him; tired of having his every decision questioned. Yet he was unwilling to submit to anyone, not to his father, not to Snoke, and certainly not to Ren or High Command. The easy path was never one he had walked and he would not start now.  
With that he fell into a restful sleep. The first he had had in a long while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said, this will take time to update. Life is a bit much but I do hope to at least get somewhere with it once Ep 9 comes out. I am exited but scared for it. 
> 
> \--------------
> 
> What do you think? Will Hux have a day to himself or will everyone demand his attention?
> 
> Also: talk to me about Kylux or just Hux on twitter: rabenmotte

**Author's Note:**

> There will be relative graphic descriptions of injuries and other!
> 
> I am also slow with updates, so please do not get angry if it takes months to update.


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